Thanksgiving on Dauntless Ranch
by AnnLiberty
Summary: Holiday one-shot for Thanksgiving 2019. It's Thanksgiving, and Tris, Eric, and baby Elliot are expecting a houseful of guests. But life with family can be messy, and things don't always go as planned! *Companion to my story Dauntless Ranch


**Happy Thanksgiving! I thought it would be fun this holiday season to write a couple holiday-themed oneshots to go with my big stories. So for today, here's Thanksgiving on Dauntless Ranch. This one-shot is a continuation of my longer story "Dauntless Ranch." If you haven't read that, it won't make much sense.  
Starts just four weeks after the original story ended.  
Enjoy!**

**XOXO,**  
**Libby**

.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" My sweet but overprotective husband asks me for the third time this morning.

"Eric," I say, warning in my tone. "It's Thanksgiving. It's family, and food, and that's about it. I would rather be here than to have to pack up Elliot and all his gear, drive into town, then turn around and come back in time for the evening feeding. Besides, Marlene is overdue and uncomfortable, so I don't want her out running around any more than necessary.

"Love, you just had a baby. I just don't want you overdoing while you're still recovering," Eric says.

"It's too late to change plans now," I tell him. "Hanna came out and helped me clean. The pies and rolls are all baked. You put the turkey in the oven. Everyone has their side dishes prepared. The only thing left to do is sit back and relax with our family. So sit down, relax. Hold your son while I set the table."

Eric huffs at me, but takes the baby from my arms and carries him to the living room. Elliot Charles Coulter, our son, is four weeks old now. He's starting to lose the newborn look and is filling out and getting adorably chunky. His eyes are getting lighter in color, and I wonder if they will be blue-grey like mine, or grey like Eric's. He is pretty much bald, which is typical of blondes as infants. Sometimes we just sit and stare at his beautiful little face and marvel at this tiny person who looks like us.

I'm busy getting out place settings and putting the table together when we hear a tap at the back door.

"Come in, Uri!" I call out, recognizing the knock of my ranch foreman and surrogate brother, Uriah Pedrad.

"I brought food!" Uriah calls as he lets himself into the kitchen. "Where's my future son-in-law?"

"We've talked about this," Eric says as he walks into the kitchen carrying the baby. "You can't claim Elliot as your nephew and think he's going to marry your daughter. They're going to see each other as cousins."

Uri shrugs and hurries to wash his cold hands before reaching for the baby. "And I told you," he says, "we're not blood relatives."

Uriah is a big teddy bear, a giant child himself, and he loves little ones, especially his nieces and his "nephew." He takes Elliot from Eric and begins cooing at him.

"How's Marlene?" I ask as I walk into the kitchen.

"Good," Uriah sighs. "She's overdue and uncomfortable, and we both just want to meet our daughter so bad we can't stand it. She's tired of being cooped up in the house, too. Is it okay if I bring her over a little early?"

"Of course," I say.

Elliot is starting to fuss, so I take him from "Uncle Ooey" for a diaper change and to nurse. I know Eric is worried about hosting our family for Thanksgiving, but I also know that nursing is my secret weapon. No one else can feed Elliot, so we are guaranteed an excuse to step away if the family gets to be too much and we need a break.

Once my son is in a clean diaper, I put him in a cute little brown sleeper with a cartoon turkey on it. The sleeper has a matching brown bib for later that says "Mommy's little turkey," and matching baby socks with a turkey face and feathers printed on them. When he's back to sleep in his crib, I grab the baby monitor off my nightstand and go back downstairs to check on dinner.

When I get downstairs I find that Uriah is back and he's brought Marlene. Her due date was nearly a week ago, so she is uncomfortably pregnant and frustrated with waiting. Eric and Uri have seated her in the big recliner in my living room, and she's balancing a glass of water on her distended stomach when I walk in.

"Be careful," I laugh. "Your daughter is going to kick that right off your stomach."

"She doesn't move much anymore," Marlene says, rubbing her belly. "I think she ran out of room."

"I know you're probably sick of people asking, but how do you feel?" I ask Marlene.

"Ugh," she says. "I'm as big as a whale and my back and hips have been aching. It woke me up several times last night. You think the sleepless nights start when the baby gets here, but they don't. Being pregnant messes with your sleep before the baby arrives."

I nod. It's only been a few weeks since I was feeling the same way. "What does Dr. Reyes say?" I ask.

"We have an appointment on Monday," Marlene says. "They're probably going to induce if I haven't gone into labor by then."

"It's nice to know you won't be pregnant forever," I say lightheartedly.

Marlene nods and rubs her belly again.

.

xxxx

.

The turkey is nearly ready and the table is all set when the phone rings. "Hey Zeke," I say, recognizing my other surrogate brother on the caller ID.

"Hey Trissy," he says. His tone is less jovial than usual, and I'm suddenly alarmed.

"Is everyone okay?" I ask.

"Eh," Zeke says. "The girls started throwing up this morning, and Shauna says she doesn't feel good, either. I'm afraid we're going to have to bail on Thanksgiving."

"Oh," I say, disappointed.

"I'm sorry," Zeke offers.

"Hey, don't be," I say. "I'm sorry for you. Stomach crud is no fun. Is Hanna still coming out?"

"Yeah," Zeke says. "I called her first."

"I guess we'll have lots of leftovers," I say. "When everyone is feeling better you'll have to come out and help us eat them."

"We'll do that," Zeke says.

"Call if you need help," I admonish.

We end the call, and I let everyone know what Zeke said. We're all disappointed, but understanding. Stuff happens, especially with kids in the mix, and we don't want anyone, especially Marlene or Elliot, to catch something.

Shauna always brings the vegetable side dishes to our family Thanksgiving, so I hurry to the pantry to see what I can find to replace her contribution. Fortunately I have everything needed to make green bean casserole, so I throw it together and put it in the oven with the turkey.

Since I host Thanksgiving, I always prepare the turkey and gravy, along with the rolls and at least two pies. Marlene brings the potatoes, since she's right here on the ranch and can bring them over early enough to get them boiling in time. She also brings pickles and olives for the relish tray. Zeke and Uriah's mom, Hanna, brings her homemade cranberry relish and a slow cooker full of dressing. Shauna brings two vegetable side dishes. It's worked for us every year since the Pedrads unofficially adopted my husband and I and we started having Thanksgiving at Dauntless Ranch.

I was just twenty years old that fall, and my first husband, Tobias, was twenty-two. We were newlyweds, and had only owned our land for a few months. During that time we had become fast friends with Zeke and Shuna, who were also newlyweds, and Zeke's mom had practically adopted us. Uriah was away at college back then, and he had just started dating Marlene. Hanna invited Tobias and I to join her, her two sons, and her daughter-in-law on the holiday. We suggested that they should come out to the ranch instead, since we would have to be home early enough to care for our horses, Lightning and Flash, and our puppy, Cocoa.

I made my first turkey that day. Eleven turkeys later, our family looks a lot different. Tobias died just four years into our marriage. Widowed at twenty-three, I threw myself into running our ranch. The three horses and two dogs we had when Tobias passed have grown to a herd of nearly thirty horses and the same two chocolate labs, who are getting up there in years.

Hanna is still the matriarch of our makeshift family, and she is loving retirement and life as a grandma. Uriah and Marlene got married, and the baby currently making Marlene miserable is their first. They live here full-time and work on the ranch. Zeke and Shauna have added two beautiful little girls, Bella and Sadie, to their household. Bella turned four over the summer, and Sadie will be one in the spring. Zeke's family lives in town, and he owns and operates the bar that Hanna's husband started when he was living.

I didn't think I would ever find love again, but I did. Eric Coulter finished his education in veterinary medicine last year, and came home to care for his ailing father. We became friends through Uriah, and came to love one another as we walked through his father Charles' last days. We shared many tears and heart-to-heart talks about love and loss. Charles Coulter's dying wish was for Eric and I to take care of one another, and we were more than happy to oblige. We were engaged last Christmas, married in May, and welcomed Elliot in October. It's been a whirlwind year, and every day I am overwhelmed by all the blessings that it brought to my life.

Hershey and Cocoa start barking before we can even hear wheels crunching on the driveway, and I know that Hanna is pulling in. Eric and Uriah hurry out to greet her and help her carry things in from her car.

I greet Hanna, then go into the dining room to reset the table for our shrunken group. I know "grandma" will be eager to see Elliot, so once the table is ready, I run upstairs to get my sleeping baby, then join the family in the living room. We visit for a while, catching up on town gossip and local happenings. I notice that Marlene is quiet, so I keep an eye on her. She rubs her belly frequently and shifts position a lot.

Eric won't let me do any heavy lifting since I just gave birth four weeks ago, so I ask him to remove the turkey from the oven and pour the water out of the large pot of potatoes. The guys turn on a football game, and Hanna and I put the finishing touches on the meal while Marlene cradles Elliot in her arms, balancing him on top of her pregnant belly.

When Hanna and I have everything on the table and ready to go, Marlene hands Elliot back to Eric, who puts the baby in his swing. Uriah helps his wife out of the recliner. As she stands, Marlene lets out a pained cry. Water floods down her legs and she drops to her knees in obvious agony.

Hanna and I run to the living room. Uriah is panic-stricken.

"Call the doctor!" Eric orders. I rush to the phone and dial Dr. Reyes at Amity General while Uri and Eric try to get Marlene comfortable.

"She's coming now!" Marlene insists.

"No," Uriah says. "Dr. Reyes said that can take hours after your water breaks! We have time to get to the hospital. Right Mom? Eric?"

Eric and Hanna look at one another. Marlene cries out again. I'm on hold while they page the doctor on duty.

"Eric," Hanna says calmly, "I have a feeling we'll be delivering the baby here. I've given birth twice, but it's been a long time. You and Tris did this recently, and you're a vet. I know it's not the same, but if we have to, I think we can handle it. What should we do?"

Eric looks up at me, his face a mask of panic. My eyes well up with tears, but I give him a nod.

"Wash up," he tells Uriah and Hanna. "We'll need clean towels. Tris, are you still on hold?"

"Yes," I say, trying to sound confident as Marlene begins to cry in fear and Uri just stares at all of us in shock. "The old towels are in the pantry. Are you going to move her upstairs to the guest room?"

"I don't think so," Eric says. "Once you talk to the doctor we'll get the ambulance here and they'll just bring her down again. I thought I'd just move her to the hide-a-bed in the office."

Hanna returns to the living room with her arms full of towels, and Eric takes a few of them as he hurries to prepare the little sofa bed.

"Doctor Jensen speaking," a voice finally says over the phone.

"Hello!" I say. "My name is Tris, I'm calling for my friend Marlene Pedrad. She's pregnant, uh, forty-one weeks, I think. She's been uncomfortable all morning, and when she stood up, her water broke. She doesn't think she'll have time to get to the hospital. She's in a lot of pain, like every three minutes or less. We're over an hour away from the hospital, on a ranch. What should we do?"

I watch Eric and Uriah lift Marlene and help her to the office. She cries out again, even though it's been less than two minutes since her last contraction.

"Is there someone who can check and see if the baby is crowning?" the doctor asks, clearly alarmed.

"They want to know if she's crowning!" I yell.

Eric hurries to wash his hands while Hanna and Uriah help Marlene take off her pants and underwear.

"Yes!" Hanna calls to me. "Definitely crowning! Oh my. Eric!"

"Yes," I relay to the doctor. "The baby is coming!"

"Is there anyone there with medical knowledge?" the doctor asks. "A nurse, medic, anything?"

"My husband is a veterinarian," I say. "He and the baby's grandma washed up and they're with her."

Marlene lets out a roar or pain from the bed.

"Uriah," Eric orders. "Sit up there by her head. Hold her hand. Help her relax as much as possible. We've got this. Marlene, I need to move the towels and look. Is that okay?"

"Yes!" Marlene cries, her voice full of pain and fear. "Just help me, please!"

"Ma'am!" I hear through the phone. "Ma'am! What's happening?"

"I don't know," I say. "She's scared and she's in pain, but they're helping her. What should I do?"

"Do you have ambulance service where you live?" the doctor asks.

"Yes," I tell him.

"Okay," he says. "Hang up the phone and call 911, or the sheriff's office, or whatever you have out there. Get an ambulance. The medics will be able to help, and they'll be able to get her here as fast as possible."

"Okay," I say before hanging up.

Marlene roars in pain again.

"Help her, Eric!" Uriah begs.

"You're doing just fine," Eric says. He sounds surprisingly calm and in control. His tone makes me feel better, and I hope it helps Marlene and Uriah, too.

"Do you feel the urge to push?" Hanna asks.

"Yes," Marlene sobs. "I don't want to. I'm trying not to."

"That's your body telling you that it's time," Eric says. "Next time you have a contraction, I want you to push."

My hands shake as I dial the local emergency number. I tell them what's happening and where we are before hanging up. I hear Marlene crying out in pain and Eric's soothing voice as he encourages her.

Hanna comes out of the room and asks where she can find a clean baby blanket and Elliot's aspirator. I run up to the nursery and grab several blankets, the aspirator, and a newborn hat. I run back downstairs and put a pan of water on the stove.

"You're doing great, we're almost there," Eric says from the office as I toss a pair of kitchen shears, tweezers, a knife, and the aspirator into boiling water.

"The ambulance is on its way!" I announce, hoping that will bring some comfort or hope to Uri and Marlene.

I peek at Elliot, who is sleeping peacefully in his swing despite the commotion.

Scooping the tools out of the boiling water and onto another clean towel, I rush toward the office just as Marlene cries out again. I stop in my tracks as my niece is born, red and screaming angrily, into the towel my husband holds in his hands.

Uriah is sitting behind his wife, and she is reclined against his chest. Eric places the baby on her, and tells Uriah to help his wife unbutton her top and initiate skin-to-skin contact while he worries about delivering the placenta.

Minutes later, I snap a few pictures on my cell phone as Eric helps Uri cut the umbilical cord with the scissors I sterilized. Eric and Hanna clean the baby while Eric looks her over.

"She seems healthy," he says as he hands her back to her mother. "Ten fingers, ten toes. Breathing well. How about you, Marlene? How are you feeling?"

"Exhausted," she says. "Terrified. Overwhelmed. I mean, what happened? I thought I was supposed to have hours after my water broke."

"My guess is that you were in labor all night," I say. "It could have been back labor that was waking you up."

Marlene nods and cradles her newborn daughter to her chest.

I hear Elliot fussing, so I go and get him. "I think someone wants to meet his cousin," I say as I walk back into the office.

"Elliot, this is Genevieve," Uriah says.

"Not Erica?" Eric teases. "I mean, I did deliver her, after all…"

I laugh, but Marlene gasps. "That's perfect!" she says. "We've been arguing about her middle name for most of my pregnancy. Genevieve Erica Pedrad. I love it!"

"I was teasing," Eric says, holding up his hands as if in surrender. "You do not need to name your baby after me."

"No," Uriah says with a smile, "she's right. We hadn't settled on a middle name. I think it's perfect."

Tears spring to my eyes at the thoughtful gesture. "I'm not delivering the next one," I say. "No one should have to be named Beatrice. Especially if you have a boy!"

We all laugh, then the dogs let us know that a strange vehicle is arriving at the ranch.

The volunteer medic team looks at Marlene and Genevieve, then loads them into the ambulance. We promise to bring their hospital bag and come to Amity later in the day, then watch out the living room window as the ambulance pulls away down the ranch's long driveway.

"Wow," I say as the enormity of the last two hours overwhelms me.

"No kidding," Eric says, his voice thick with emotion.

I wrap my arm around his waist and tuck myself into Eric's left side, cradling our son with my other arm. He reaches out his right arm and pulls Hanna to his side as well. For several long minutes we stand there together.

I suddenly remember the now-cold Thanksgiving feast on my dining room table and laugh.

.

xxxx

.

Genevieve Erica Pedrad, or Genna, as we quickly begin calling her, turns out to be perfectly healthy in spite of her traumatic birth. Marlene, too, came through the ordeal unharmed, though she and Uriah might be too traumatized to add to their family for many years.

Uri and Marlene are grateful for Eric's medical training, such as it is, but I have a feeling that Uncle Zeke will never let Genna live it down that she was delivered by a veterinarian.


End file.
